Hurricane Kyle provided training opportunity for Maine's responders

Tuesday

Sep 30, 2008 at 3:15 AM

MACHIAS, Maine (AP) — Hurricane Kyle turned out to be a phantom storm that caused little damage in eastern Maine. But the storm preparation provided good practice in the event a hurricane does make landfall in Maine, officials said Monday.

By Sunday, a $300,000 mobile Department of Conservation command unit was in place in Machias, Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. crews were in position in Washington County, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency emergency operations center was staffed in Augusta.

What had become a hurricane was supposed to swirl right up the Bay of Fundy, potentially pummeling the state's eastern tip with strong winds, sheets of rain and high seas. Instead, it veered eastward toward Canada before getting downgraded to a tropical storm.

For residents, it was a nonevent. For emergency workers, it provided a valuable training opportunity in which no property or lives were endangered.

"It was a real live exercise — and you don't have to clean up the mess afterwards," said Michael Hinerman, director of the Washington County Emergency Management Agency.

The storm marked the first time the Department of Conservation command center was used for a potential disaster. The center was filled with computers, satellite TV and radios to communicate with county and state agencies. It also had generators and emergency supplies.

"This unit is here for the worst-case scenario. If we had been hit, everything would take place in here: logistics, support, planning," Hinerman said.

Forest Ranger Rick Henion said there was no choice other than to treat the first hurricane watch in 17 years seriously. The early forecast called for winds of 80 mph, and up to 8 inches of rain. "Our biggest role is to plan for the worst to happen," Henion said.

While missing Maine, Hurricane Kyle did cause some problems in Canada, where high winds knocked out power for thousands of people.

Sunday night, Kyle swept across the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia as a Category 1 hurricane and was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it hit New Brunswick early Sunday. By Monday afternoon, the rain was reaching Prince Edward Island.